Suffering
by ComeAndLayYourBonesDown
Summary: Carl and Rick seek out shelter after the group is broken apart. What Carl doesn't expect, is to learn how to handle the lives around him; Including some new strangers he isn't too interested of sharing a life with.
1. Chapter 1

_Carl dragged his feet; tired from the heavy weight of Rick on his left shoulder_.

"I need some help," he grunted. _Hoping the jab to his father's rib would get him _

_to move his feet again._

"Carl. I'm sorry...I'm getting weaker," Rick croaked "Can we sit and rest for a

bit?"

_Carl glanced around at the woods on both sides of the train track they were _

_stumbling on._

"Not safe enough. Once we sit, a minute will turn into five and the more time we

waste the faster the walkers appear."

_Rick only made a weak grunt in response. He was in terrible shape from the fight _

_back at the prison. The Governor got a few good blows in targeted at his head; _

_which caused Carl to wince every time he glanced over at his father. His blood _

_was on the plaid of his shirt; staining it. That's okay, it's just his only _

_shirt for the next few days. Unknowing when they would come across a building _

_for shelter. The walk here was tiresome and to say Carl was exhausted was an _

_understatement. He promised himself they wouldn't stop walking until it seemed _

_safe; so far, no such luck. _

_Carl was now considering just climbing a tree for the night to camp out so the _

_walkers couldn't get to them, but Rick would probably fall out of the tree with _

_his luck. He was becoming hopeless until a few snapping branches startled him. _

_Carl pulled out his gun, still supporting his father, as he pointed it towards _

_the left side of the woods. _

"You'll only attract more..." Rick murmured; keeping an eye on his son's gun

right in front of his face. _Carl brushed off his dad's comment, staying silent _

_as he waited for further movement from the woods._

"Shit. Alive. I'm alive. Don't shoot." A manly voice, that sounded nothing like

groans of the dead, stated as he appeared out of the shadows. _Carl kept his gun _

_pointed at the man and the stranger raised his hands in defense._

"Lower your weapon, Carl." Rick looked over at his Sheriff hat clad boy.

"Well this is such a warm welcoming..." The stranger hushed sarcastically "Look

I don't want to hurt you, I was just out checking our fence. I- we. My group, we

are staying in a Walmart just a few miles deep in these trees here. I can bring

you there if you spare my life. It looks like your old man needs some tending.

We have that kind of care. Please."

"Yes, thank you." Rick tried walking towards the man and fell into Carl;

tiredly.

"Let me help," the man hurried to Rick's right side; supporting him. "My name is

Doug."

"I'm Rick. This is my boy Carl."

"Carl, aye? That's your name?"

"Yeah," Carl mutters.

"Well then Carl, you mind lowering your weapon now?" Doug smiles softly at Carl.

Who in return rolls his eyes and shoves the gun away in its holder, "you can

never be too careful."

"Keep moving and trust nobody is Carl's motto," Rick added

Doug hummed and shrugged, "Nothing wrong with being cautious. There's all these

different types of people with different morals, crammed in that Walmart

together. It was hard in the beginning when the group was still being formed but

now we trust each other like family. Welcoming anyone in that may need help"

"We have a group like that. Only we got split up recently, we've been wandering

since."

"Did they do this to you?"

"Of course not, for the longest time we had a feud with a rival group and they

cracked. Attacking us all."

_Doug processed this and opened the gate to the electric fence. Helping Carl _

_bring Rick through the slim opening. Carl could get a view of a large grey _

_building not that far in the distance. Doug kicked a tree as the passed it and _

_he let out an audible sigh,_

"Shit is what this world has come to."


	2. Chapter 2

"I'm back! The fences are fixed and I found some friends," Doug called into the  
>abandoned looking Walmart.<p>

_Normally the shelves would be overflowing with half priced shit that nobody  
>truly needed. Yet, here they are looking empty. Packages for batteries<br>scattered, along with empty cans strew about. As if someone came through and  
>ransacked the place. As Carl looked around he noticed a pyramid looking<br>sculpture on the far left, made out of cereal boxes and cans. Well there's all  
>the food; Oddly stored.<br>_  
>"Please don't tell me you found another zombie head," A voice called out as<br>their footsteps approached "Oh. Wow they're not decapitated or anything. Good  
>job Doug."<p>

_A pregnant woman chuckled as she fiddled with the hammer in her hand. Her eyes_  
><em>properly focused on the pair next to Doug; Carl eyed her bulging belly and he<em>  
><em>stared at his feet. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Rick gave Carl's hip a<em>  
><em>light squeeze knowing exactly what was bothering his son.<em>

"They look a bit run down and that one needs medical attention," she points to  
>Rick with her hammer "go find Raymond."<p>

_The older woman commanded with a huff turning her gaze to Doug; then turning_  
><em>round back where she appeared from. Doug tightened his grip on Rick's hip as<em>  
><em>they started walking further into the store; Carl could've sworn he heard music<em>  
><em>being played as they passed the toy section. He was unable to glance over<em>  
><em>because of his father and Doug blocking his side view. Once they reached what<em>  
><em>once was the electronics section, now more likely a conference area considering<em>  
><em>the shattered and unwanted televisions shoved off the shelves. Bodies came to<em>  
><em>life after a few beats of silence and noticed the trio standing there.<em>

"You brought company," a husky man spoke first.

"Rick," Doug pointed to the man he was supporting with his side "he needs  
>serious tending. I thought maybe we could help him."<br>_  
><em> "Of course we can. Unless he's bitten," Raymond walked towards Rick; examining  
>him.<p>

"I wouldn't risk other peoples' lives trying to save my own. I can promise you  
>I'm clean."<p>

"Aside from the drying blood and dirt," Raymond laughed warmly; taking Rick from  
>the other two.<p>

Doug let out a content sigh, "I was hoping he would let you guys in. Are you  
>hurt at all? You can go with your father if you aren't comfort-..."<p>

"I'm fine," Carl cut him off.  
><em><br>Doug kept his eyes on Carl, while he watched Rick limp further into the building  
>with the burly doctor. Doug glanced over at his other group members watching as<br>well._

"Oh, Carl. I'd like for you to meet the other people you'll be sharing this  
>humble abode with. Here's Martin, Amelia is somewhere in here, you already met<br>Christa and Raymo-.."

"Carl?"

_Carl peeled his eyes away from these strangers to follow his attention to the  
>familiar voice.<em>

"Carol," Carl asked bewildered.  
><em><br>Carol hurried over to Carl to give him a hug,_

"I see who your favorite acquaintance is."

"Shush Doug," Carol hummed and pulled back slightly to look at Carl "where's the  
>rest of the group? Is everyone alright? Where's Rick?"<p>

"He's being tended by Raymond. The Governor came with this group we've never  
>seen before and killed Hershel."<p>

_Carol covered her mouth and in an instant her eyes welled up with tears._

"He's dead?"  
><em><br>_Carl nodded but kept a firm face, "He beat my dad and we lost Judith. Everyone  
>got separated in smaller groups...It was hell, Carol."<p>

"Was there a way anyone could've prevented this?"

"Don't you think we would've figured it out if there was a solution?!"

_Carol bit her lip and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. Turning around to face the  
>others,<em>

"I want us to welcome Carl and Rick with open arms. They're my family and I want  
>them to be treated like that by all of you."<br>_  
>Martin and Doug nodded, walking back to go busy themselves when Carol waved<br>them off._

"It's not like the prison at all, I know. But we're managing. We need help in  
>more ways than one, so please just do whatever seems like it's helping us<br>prosper."

"Why did you leave the prison," Carl asked. Taking in all of Carol's words but  
>confused non the less.<p>

"Go find Amelia, she's around your age. I'm sure you'll get on really well and  
>then you can have someone to play with," Carol avoided his question.<p>

Carl gave her an incredulous look and shook his head with a scoff, "I'm not a  
>kid. I don't play, I survive and don't try to ignore my question. I want to know<br>why you left us!"

"He hasn't told you," Carol asked but then looked over towards the toy section  
>"go busy yourself with Amelia. I need to talk to Rick."<p>

_With that she walked off; leaving Carl to fend for himself. He let out a heavy  
>sigh as he made his way to the aisles covered in pink. To his dismay it was<br>empty but he walked down it to the other end; taking in toys and doll houses  
>Judith could've played with if she were here.<br>Carl listened to the now increased volume of the music and followed it; finding a  
>figure reading a magazine in the last aisle. He took in all of her features<br>before dropping his gaze to the radio playing.  
><em>

"Nice Barbie boom box."


	3. Chapter 3

Amelia looked up at Carl with a fixed gaze, "I'm sorry do I know you? Normally  
>when people make fun of someone, it's because they're acquaintances<br>with them."

_Carl shook his head and gave the radio a light kick with his dirty combat boot._

"Careful, it was the only one that runs on batteries!"

"I heard your music as I was walking down the aisle," Carl stated as he kept his  
>eyes on the stereo "what were you listening to?"<p>

"The Passenger CD, it has a few good songs on it. Considering the small amount  
>of options I had to chose from."<p>

"You seem a bit laid back to be in the apocalypse..."

Amelia gave him a look, "am I supposed to have a specific emotion? I'm scared,  
>yes but I also want to enjoy my teenage years."<p>

"Oh of course, nothing says 'I love being fifteen' than the dead bodies of your  
>family surrounding you!"<p>

Amelia turned down her music, "you have a lot of nerve."

"I'm senseless," Carl laughed bitterly.

"No. Everyone feels, whether they want to admit it or not. I can see you're one  
>to hide," she stood up.<p>

"What because I said three sentences to you, you now think you know me?"

"I can just see how defensive you are. As if you have some walls built up,"  
>Amelia sighed.<p>

"Don't start with that dramatic shit. Please don't go thinking you can be the  
>one to tear them down. There's no way in hell that I'm letting my guard down,<br>just to get stabbed in the back again and again."

Amelia chewed on her lip then sat back down, "we got on, on such a great start.  
>Nice talking to you..-"<p>

_She looked up at him expectantly; waiting for his name. Carl only turned away, _  
><em>walking back to explore the rest of the confinement. He's not letting himself <em>  
><em>care; about anyone. He's already lost so many people he loved. The more people <em>  
><em>he let's into his life, the more people he loses in the end. He's stopped caring <em>  
><em>and worrying; he won't let himself feel anymore. Promised himself that when they <em>  
><em>lost Lori.<em>

* * *

><p>"Rick? Oh god look at you."<p>

_Rick opened his eyes as Raymond dabbed a wet cloth on his forehead; cleaning off _  
><em>the dried blood. <em>

"Carol," he breathed "I told you. You found a group."

"She didn't find the group, she made it. Kind woman really, letting us all in  
>without hesitation."<p>

Carol looked over at Raymond and patted his knee, "Rick I'm sorry."

"About killing Karen and David?"

"No but yes. They were going to die eventually and effect more people if we  
>hadn't touched them but I'm sorry for Tyreese. I remember him telling me that I'm<br>caring not hard...that just hurts to think that he trusted me."

"It was wrong to kill people we could've treated," Rick huffed.

"They were dying! All of them ended up dying, the ones who lived were the ones  
>who were strong. But that was hardly even forty percent that survived."<p>

_Rick closed his eyes again and let out a breath; Raymond watching Carol _  
><em>suspiciously from the newfound information.<em>

"You're forgiven. Mainly because your people let us in selflessly. Next time  
>though, don't go making consequential decisions before talking it over with<br>others."

"The thing is. They were dead before I burned them. I found Lizzie standing  
>there, shaking with a bloody knife in hand," Carol looked at her hands<br>wringing together. _Rick held his breath and Carl paused his movements from_  
><em>walking into the medical area where the conversation was being held.<em>

"She was whispering that she was strong and wanted to help," Carol continued "I  
>promised her I would help her clean up her mistake. So we burned them and I took<br>the blame."

"So, you helped her in a murder..."

"She is a child who made a mistake!"

"Those rules don't follow anymore. The kids in our group were trained, by you,  
>they shouldn't make mistakes. They shouldn't kill humans, only walkers."<p>

Carol bowed her head, "their father asked me to protect his girls. I did  
>everything I could to do so."<p>

"Where are they then," Rick asked slowly.

"You sent me away! You separated me from them," she defended.

"Well maybe we could take that into consideration. If you let Lizzie take the  
>blame then Tyreese would ease up and consider that she's just a girl, he can't<br>kill her. It isn't right even though she committed a crime."

"Like you said, those rules don't apply here anymore. Whether you're young or  
>old, it's survival that's important. But I feel like this apocalypse is almost<br>like God's testing us to see through all of this if we still judge or actions on  
>our morals not instincts."<p>

"We would all fail this so-called test," Carl spoke up.


	4. Chapter 4

"You aren't supposed to be in this conversation, Carl."

"When are you going to stop treating me like a child," Carl snapped at Rick "I try so hard to prove to you that I am strong! What more do I have to do?"

"Nothing Carl. This isn't a game, this is life. I just need you safe. I'm not trying to refrain you from being a man when we're discussing a topic that is far from being a concern of yours."

"That is bullshit."

Before Rick could tell Carl off for swearing, Carol interrupted him, "how did it go with Amelia?"

"I pissed her off because I wasn't in her little fantasy world."

"Honey," Carol sighed "she's been through a lot this past week. Take it easy on her and have patience."

Carl scoffed,"she's been through a lot? She's pampered here and doesn't have to do shit! I lost my sister yesterday, what could she have possibly lost? A tampon?"

"How do you even know what tha-..."

"She lost her brother," Carol spoke over Rick again.

"I've lost more than her, I'm showing no sympathy."

"That's a bit cold..."

Carl only shrugged and fiddled with his gun as Carol watched him, "just go give her target practice. She might like that, she only uses a bat."

"I'm not suggesting it to her. You say I can try and teach her a few things if she stops being a bitch to me."

_Carol sighed with a slight nod as she rose; walking past Carl to talk to Amelia. Carl glanced at Rick and followed behind; as he walked he looked at Doug playing with the inside of a broken television as Marty popped bubbles with his gum. Carl walked out the door and towards the fence, shivering from the depleting temperature. He heard low grunts and snarls coming from the left of the fence; Carl was pulling his gun up to point towards the noise. Only to be shoved to the side by another body, he screamed and spun around to point his gun at the person behind him; Afraid it was a walker._

"How manly of you," Amelia smirked and moved towards the walker stuck in the sunken part of the fence.

"Shut up, I thought I was going to die."

_Carl watched Amelia spin her bat in her hand and bit her lip as she swung it at the walker's head._

"This is going to take a while," Carl raised an eyebrow as Amelia hit harder. With three hits the dead body was lifeless again. Amelia hummed as she turned to face Carl, "I was that type of kid at birthday parties who really wanted the candy inside the piñata."

Carl smiled with a low chuckle and Amelia smiled brightly, "Didn't know you knew how to smile, Cowboy."

"It's a police hat," His frown came back.

"Fine, Sheriff Carl."

"Carol told you my name, huh?"

Amelia smiled again, "she said you wanted to hang out too."

"No, not hang out. Target practice with guns."

"What?"

_Carl held out his gun for Amelia to take; she backed away from it._

"They aren't that bad, you'll get used to the noise and weight eventually."

"No I can't," she pushed away the pistol.

"Seriously take it. You need to use it to defend yourself!"

"I can't! Get it away from me please," Amelia begged; close to tears.

Carl furrowed his eyebrows and shoved his gun back into its holder, "Jesus it's not that b-.."

"My brother. He killed himself last week with a similar gun."

"Did he get himself in the head at least?"

Amelia tucked a strand of her semi greasy hair behind her ear as she nodded, "dead on."

_She started shaking; whether it be from the cold air or the verge of crying. Either way Carl was horrible with comforting people and he didn't want to be out here any longer._

"Listen we can practice some other time, yeah? You just need to toughen up."

With that he patted her shoulder as he strode inside. Amelia felt her eyebrows crease as she watched Carl disappear, "I am weak." _She glanced at the sunken barb-wired fence that the mangled walker is in. Holding her bat tighter; she hopped over the fence. Making her way into the wooded area near the Walmart. Needing to clear her mind and toughen up like Carl_ _said._

* * *

><p>"I haven't seen her since you sent her outside with me," Carl explained to Carol as the other group members watched him.<p>

_He arrived back inside after the failed attempted of a target practice, Amelia not following behind. Carl figured she was letting a few tears fall or recollecting herself so she can practice shooting. He didn't think her procrastination to come back inside was anything important. It was to their group. _

"She hasn't been outside those fences by herself, she's always had Nicholas by her side."

Carl shrugged from Carol's comment, "I don't know what you want me to do about it. If she doesn't know her way around, why would she leave and get herself lost?"

"She likes to explore but I'm just afraid that she got scared of a walker and ran in a different direction," Christa sighed.

"You should've brought her back inside with you Carl. You never leave someone behind," Rick breathed from his bed; considering they were all standing in the infirmary, so Rick could be involved in Carl's scolding.

Carl glared at Rick and Raymond moved to Rick's side, "Why don't you rest? You look exhausted, we'll all figure this out and leave you be."

_The group shuffled out of the area that was blocked off with shelves and a curtain._ _Carl twitched when the curtain hit him in the face, when Marty let go of it too quickly. Carl felt a tad bit guilty from just leaving Amelia out in the cold to cry to herself, yes but he wasn't going to voice that. He figures it was her fault for walking off and putting herself in danger. If Amelia just listened to Carl and practiced shooting, then followed him they wouldn't be wondering where she is. He heard an audible sigh when footsteps walking opposite of the others' were echoing around the silent building. _

"Thank God you're safe," Carol hurried to Amelia and hugged her "your body is cold."

"It's winter," she sneezed.

Carol pulled back and watched Amelia's face, "You're sick..."

Amelia nodded and wiped her nose on her sleeve, "I guess I was out there too long. It started snowing."

_Carol's jaw tightened like a predator refraining himself from jumping on it's prey; Carl was the first to notice this and he moved over to Amelia, taking her arm._

"I'll take her to the infirmary with Raymond, I'm sure she'll be better by tomorrow."

_He was afraid of letting Carol near Amelia ever since he listened in to his dad talking about her killing Karen and David. She helped Lizzie drag the bodies out of their beds' and burn them, all because they started coughing._ _He could argue he doesn't care about Amelia out loud because he is simply just helping a human who exposed herself to the cold, she isn't deadly. There's nothing wrong with him having morals and common sense. Carl could simply say he's helping Amelia because of Carol's sake too; not wanting her to be kicked out of another group because of her wrong-doings. But h__is actions should go unquestioned; __he doesn't have to explain himself to anyone...  
><em>

"Thank you," Amelia whispered as she laid down on the cot adjacent to Rick "why did you do that?"

_except Amelia._


	5. Chapter 5

_The first night that Rick and Carl stayed with the new group, was spent with Carl curled up on a pile of pillows in the middle of the conference area. Rick was awake with Carol; she came back to see how he was doing. He hasn't been able to sleep because of the throbbing pain in his head all day, so Carol figures she can speak with him to just tire him out. He and Carl haven't slept in almost a day estimated, that's why Carl was first to pass out from exhaustion; assumingly Rick won't go too far after him. _

_The simple conversation Carol wanted to have with him, turned into a lecture. A quiet one, since Amelia was fast asleep; only a little sniffles escaping her section to validate it. Also to confirm, she was only sick not turning. _

"I don't know anymore, Rick. You never know what can turn people now, even a cold can kill her!"

"Only if she doesn't have the right treatment, then she'll die. I trust Raymond won't just stop giving her care when she needs it most. If she dies then she dies but we'll let nature determine that. Not you. You aren't God, you can't go around and think you have control of peoples' lives. No matter how easy it is to control."

"We're just going to sit around and wait, is that right? She will die and that's when everyone scrambles to kill this monster that was once a little girl. How heartbreaking..."

"Don't. I'm not changing my mind and you're not touching Amelia, understand? I saw the way Carl tried to so subtly stare at her, I'm not getting rid of her until she does something absolutely inhumane."

"Like what I did?"

"Exactly," Rick murmured.

"You're going to forgive me eventually, right?"

"Maybe Carol, but right now. Absolutely not. Everyone needs a fighting chance and I know if I were there that night, I would've kicked you and Lizzie out then."

"They were sick, Rick. I don't know wh-..."

"They were humans! They deserved to live until they couldn't move any longer. This plague is already killing us slowly, no one wants to be killed off by their own kind faster than necessary!"

Carol grew quiet as Rick rubbed his temple and laid down; she got up and glanced at Amelia as she left. Rick fell asleep then once he knew Carol was settled back into her resting area.

* * *

><p><em>The ne<em>_xt day early in the morning, Carl jolted awake. His body getting up and  
>unconsciously moving to the infirmary. Last night, Carl didn't fully explain his<br>actions to Amelia, he made a comment about helping her just proves that people still have some morals left in this dead world. He spoke nothing further than that about it. She seemed slightly unsatisfied with his vagueness but curled up in the  
>blanket nonetheless; Carl looked over at the same spot she was in, subtly moving<br>the blanket over her shoulders. Just so her cold didn't get worse. He then moved  
>over to Rick and frowned; he looks horrible now that he has a closer view of his<br>face._

"Dad," He said hushed as he pulled a chair over "wake up."

When Rick didn't budge; Carl's frown deepened, "Dad. Wake up."

"Wake up," he shook Rick momentarily and let out an aggravated huff; taking off  
>his hat and bowing his head.<p>

"I can't lose you. You're all I have left."

_Amelia awoke when Carl let his voice raise before, as he was yelling at  
>Rick; now that she heard crying; she sat up. Carl will probably knock her away<br>when she tries to approach him but he helped her yesterday. Why can't she help  
>him now and return the favor? He is hunched over crying for his comatose father, what kind of person would she be to just pretend to fall back asleep and leave him? The horrible person she was because she left her brother in the same state Carl was in before he shot himself. Amelia can't lose someone on her behalf again because she can't provoke them from not doing something drastic to end their misery. With those thoughts she stands up and makes her way to Carl. Pausing next to him before squatting down and wrapping an<br>arm around his shoulder. Carl does freeze and glance over but Amelia just rubs  
>his back.<br>_  
>"It'll be okay. He'll be okay."<p>

"You have no conception of that being true!"

"Trust me, just trust me for once and believe someone other than yourself."

Carl let out a long sigh and wiped his eyes, "I can't promise but I'll try."__

Amelia sat there with him as he silently cried; she could feel his body shaking to conclude that theory. It felt like a couple of hours before she broke the silence, "why are you so determined to not care about anyone?"

_The way she asked the question, sounded like she thought that his hatred was only for her. Carl tilted his head up to the ceiling after hearing the question and shook his head with a sniff; wiping his eyes in an abrupt way. He never seemed to do even the simplest action without coming off as if he hated the world._

"I try not to care about anyone because caring leads to worry... and when people worry they tend to focus on other things rather than themselves. In this world, that's the riskiest thing to do. You need to worry about yourself or you're going to be lying face first in dirt with a walker eating your intestines."

"That's not all true, you can't make someone your world because no one has time for that nowadays. But you are allowed to care because then there are more people you can save. Whether it be from a zombie or from themselves..."

"As in their minds," Carl chuckled wetly "I was going to suggest you need someone to get you out of that fantasy world you seem to be living in, but luckily you don't seem to be in too deep."

Amelia rubbed Carl's back gently as she stood up normally again, "why fix something that's not broken?"

"You are definitely something else," Carl laughed softly and looked at her from his seat.

"I think it gets boring after awhile when you can't tell the zombies apart from the survivors because we all start becoming the same."

"Weak and vulnerable?"

"Dull and lifeless."

_The rest of the day Carl spent it talking more frequently to Amelia who was still recovering. Then occasionally spending some quiet moments trying to see if Rick would wake up. He was scared, he wouldn't voice it out loud, but he was. Afraid he wouldn't see his dad wake up and having to adjust with this group without him. He doesn't like to think of the 'what ifs' for too long, so he will just wait it out._

* * *

><p>(AN sorry I've been sick all week and it happened to be the week I was off of school. I was hoping to update a few times but I seem to have lost that opportunity. I also have a tendency to start stories and never get across to finishing them. Normally I stop because I lose interest in the topics I write about but I promise that wont be the case for this story!)


	6. Chapter 6

_Carl kept to himself in Wal-Mart as Rick and Amelia healed. He was unable to go __outside as it snowed because Carol didn't want him getting sick too. He felt as __if he was on house arrest. He longingly gazed out the once automated doors to see the snow settle onto a fresh white blanket. The youth that he knows is still in him, was jittery and begged to let his pent up energy out. Carl's mood was lifted when Rick awoke after a week __and when Amelia could stand with only some sniffles left; __she was extra excited to hang out with Carl and go on an adventure with him as she put it._

"It's not an adventure," he easily declined her title for their walk in the snow.

"Technically speaking, an adventure is an exploration into territory unknown to the adventurer. Which is what we are doing. It would be wrong of me to call it a quest or journey because that means we have an idea of where we are- "

"I'm suddenly regretting this plan."

_Carl needed to go outside and he thought because Amelia needed to walk again, since she's been off __her feet for so long would help them get the answer they wanted out of the adults. After begging Carol and a groggy Rick, they both agreed if the kids stayed close and made sure to bundle up. They didn't have a big problem with them wandering about because the walkers have been freezing midstride. Rick saw no danger in the two bonding, yet Carol being the cautious woman she is, made them take their weapons. Amelia was still a bit weak, so she was grateful Carol wasn't enforcing bringing a weapon because she didn't feel like carrying a bat or even picking up a gun. Carl is a great shot and she didn't have to worry about needing to protect him. As he once said to her in one of their nightly chats, he was tired of people risking their lives for him._

"When people care about you, they're going to want to save you."

"I can do whatever someone else can go out of their way to do. I can't be a child anymore, I don't need to have life sugarcoated. I understand the struggle and I'm willing to start fighting on my own."

"Because you know you can prevent others from getting hurt by protecting your grounds?"

"Exactly," Carl nodded in the dim light of the moon's glow.

"You know, that means you care."

_When they managed to stomp through the deep snow and Amelia wore most of her energy away; after frolicking in circles around the fenced area. Carl came up with the creative idea of going pass the blockade and venturing further into the wood. Amelia didn't hesitate to say yes, since she's an easily excitable person._

_They walked pleasantly in the quiet landscape; the only sign of life being there was the footprints trailing behind the pair. Carl kept ruining the silence with his unsettling grunts of complaints,_

"It's freezing!"

"It happens to be winter," Amelia teased.

_He chuckled and shoved her playfully, causing Amelia to stumble and fall back into the snow._

"What a drama queen!"

She kept giggling," I'm like a newborn deer. I'm just starting to get use to my legs!"

_Amelia kicked her legs about, managing to hit Carl with her too big winter boots. As she looked up at the morning sky, her smile faded; Becoming submerged in her thoughts._

"Come on get up," Carl looked around the few trees that surrounded them "Walkers could be anywhere."

"Wait just lay down for a minute."

"Im cold!"

"You're seriously going to complain about being cold when your father had head

trauma and all of the people we knew are dead?"

"Harsh reality check. But okay," Carl slowly got next to Amelia "why are we just laying here?"

"Because maybe if you shut up for a minute you'll realize how peaceful it is

right now. A rare moment to enjoy in the apocalypse...you know, it's funny. I

didn't know it took the end of the world to miss everything I had. Even the

things I didn't want. I just wish when I open my eyes I'd be in my room and hear

my brother yelling from downstairs asking if anyone has seen the item of choice

he misplaced, the smell of fresh pancakes being made by my mother because it's

her day off, the sound of my annoying ass neighbor mowing his lawn and the dog

from down the street having a barking fit while my dad's car is heard pulling into the garage. I just wish when I

open my eyes everything will be the same as if this was all a crazy morbid

dream...but it's not. This is my new reality."

_Carl watched Amelia the whole time as she described what once was a perfect life but could only be called a fantasy during these days. He felt sympathy in his heart as he took her mitten covered hand in his and grasped it._

"I'm still here."

_Amelia looked over at Carl and he gave her a reassuring smile' squeezing her hand gently before closing his eyes; Enjoying the silence and the cool air. He takes the small beauties in this world for granted. There are a lot of things that hadn't changed from his world and some things he just never noticed. If there's one thing Amelia taught him in the time he's known her, was to enjoy the life you're given. No matter how many problems you are faced with, your time is limited..._

"There's a chapel up ahead."

_and your youth is short, so embrace it._

* * *

><p><em>It's been a while since Carl set foot in a church and it feels a bit odd to be doing so at his most vulnerable. Amelia looked so peaceful as she ran her cotton hand over the moldy pews. <em>

_Carl looked to the back of the church and approached the beautifully sculpted narthex in front of him. His eyes followed the many designs carved in the wall and the large cross hanging above proudly. If kneeling down and clasping his hands together will get the big guy to hear him, then what's the risk of asking him for help in the apocalypse? His omnipotence would be really useful if he just wiped out all risks of turning into those unholy creatures outside. Maybe then the people that are growing on him and the ones he is yet to meet can be saved, unlike the ones he's once loved and lost._ _The sound of a door being slammed open awoke Carl out of his trance and he wiped away the tears he didn't know that were falling. Amelia's muffled whimpers were the next thing his ears tuned in, as he processed the fact that she was being held by a group of motorcycle looking men. He instinctively reached for his gun in it's holder,_

"Let her go."

"No need for violence boy. We only came here for a nice pit stop," One older man purred.

Carl raised his gun and pointed it at the fat man holding Amelia, "There won't be a need for me to pull my trigger if you just let her free."

_Amelia was shoved to the ground by the obese man and a gun shot went off. She heard a thud and mumbles from the men hovering close by as the man on Amelia groped her hair._

"He was a threat."

_She squeezed her eyes shut, knuckles turning white, shaking in fear; suddenly __feeling the weight of the jerky man roll off of her back. Amelia felt the slight __touch of cool metal on her wrist; her eyes followed the length of the sword in __front of her. As she began to panic while meeting eyes with the dark woman __standing above her, she realized the blade was pressed against the neck of her __attacker on the ground._ The woman with long dreadlocks pressed her finger to her lips, then looked at the man who now had with deer eyes, "Rule number one. Don't cross the line." She said hardly above a whisper but it was as effective as a shout. T_he man started babbling for forgiveness but the __woman made a clean slice through his neck. __Amelia gagged as the head rolled off his shoulders and toward her face; she __scrambled back, looking up at the mysterious woman again before hearing Carl's __strangled cries. She rose to her feet and ran to him; hearing another pair of __feet rushing over to his body hunched against a pew._

"I can't see. I can't feel the left side of my head," he blabbered as Amelia took his hat off to get a better look at him.

"Remove your hand," the woman spoke.

Carl did as instructed slowly as Amelia started shaking again, "your eye."

_His once beautiful young face that was always stone cold but held a pair of blue_

_eyes like the morning sky, was now a bloody mess while only one eye remained._

_Where the other once was placed now created a hollow cave of blood and darkness._

"Son of a bitch got you in the eye," _she kneeled next to Amelia and cupped_

_Carl's face. He weakened in her touch and let out a sob._

"I'm scared Michonne."

* * *

><p><em><strong>(AN So sorry for my lack of update. The show wasn't getting me into the mood of writing when it was getting closer to the season finale. I've been on spring break and I decided I've procrastinated for too long with the update. So here, I'm very sorry. :): !)**_


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